*Fans self* Friends, this is not for those of you who like your romances to be sweet. Sleigh Ride is a hot book about two complicated men who find themselves pushed together to raise some money for a good cause in time for Christmas, and wind up in a life-changing, passionate sort of entanglement that changes their lives and the lives of those around them.
AND on top of all that, it espouses the wonder of libraries! Hallelujah!
Arthur is a laid off mill worker in Logan, Minnesota. Gabriel is the nerdy and quiet new town librarian, who happens to work with Arthur's pushy mother...
And don't get me started on the scene where Gabriel takes on the whole town in a battle of gender roles and what toys are appropriate for boys to play with. *Stands up and cheers!*
My book club flipped out over Cullinan's steampunk masterpiece, Clockwork Heart, last year, and I've looked forward to reading something else by her ever since. Sleigh Ride was great, and it made me worry for these characters, and then it made me very happy.
Note: Sleigh Ride is the second book in Cullinan's Minnesota Christmas series. The first book, Let it Snow, is 99 cents right now. So get started! <3
The Minnesota Christmas series is available on Amazon.
Pairs well with --
A Seasonal Brew!
For Sleigh Ride, I chose the Fireside Chat Winter Spiced Ale from 21st Amendment Brewery, because a) it's a delicious beer, and b) this book and these dudes have some serious SPICE to them. Get it? ;)
Any dish involving venison.
(Image taken from Grumpy's Honeybunch, which is the source of the recipe linked!)
I grew up in northern Michigan, which is quite similar to Minnesota in a lot of ways. Both states share an avid love of deer hunting. I don't really get the appeal of hunting, BUT I do understand that white tailed deer are a species that would overrun Michigan if given the chance, so...the world is full of gray areas, right? Anyway! All this deer hunting means venison is a common meat, and Sleigh Ride mentions it a few times....so here's a recipe for venison stew!
*True story: I tried to find some venison jerky here in Chicago to accompany this post and came up empty! How rude.*
